Stykkishólmur is a town of about 1,200 people on the northern shore of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Surrounded by wild Icelandic nature, it makes a good base for visiting natural wonders such as Kirkjufell and Snæfellsjökull National Park.
However, the most important thing from a tourist’s point of view is that this is where the Baldur ferry departs for Flatey Island and on to Brjánslækur in Vestfirðir (the Westfjords). According to the operator, the crossing takes about 2 hours 10 minutes, and on board there is a restaurant, a children’s corner and, of course, free Wi-Fi.
The Baldur ferry is run by Ferjuleiðir, and you can buy ferry tickets online. Book as early as possible: the ferry has limited capacity (about 46 vehicles), and tickets – especially for cars – sell out quickly.
A one-way ticket from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur costs 6,300 ISK (about $55) for an adult, and a car up to 5 m (16 ft) long costs the same (the driver pays separately). Children up to 11 travel free with their parents, teenagers aged 12-17 get a 50% discount, and seniors 67+ and people with disabilities about 20% (prices for the winter season, September 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027, ferja.is).
Stykkisholmur – tips and practical information
- The town has a wide range of accommodation for every budget: hotels, youth hostels, guesthouses and a campsite.
- Despite its small size, Stykkisholmur is a well-known cultural center. It is home to the Norwegian House museum – built in 1832, it was the first two-story residential house in Iceland.
- There is also a golf course and the oldest weather station in the country, dating back to 1845. The town also had a Volcano Museum, but it closed in 2020 – part of its collection is now on display at LAVA Centre in Hvolsvöllur.
- Stykkishólmur boasts a great swimming pool with an indoor and an outdoor pool, a big water slide and a hot tub with water that has healing properties.
- Like many other places in Iceland, Stykkisholmur has won over filmmakers and writers. The town stood in for Greenland in the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and in the novel Red Storm Rising it was the landing point for American troops freeing Iceland from Soviet occupation.
- The town is also the gateway to the countless islands of Breidafjordur Bay, known for its natural beauty, remarkable wildlife and abundance of fish. In some years, boat trips and kayak tours around the bay are run from here, but they are strictly seasonal and not offered every year – check what is available before you go.
- Stykkisholmur cares about the environment. Along with four other municipalities on the Snaefellsnes peninsula, it was the first community in Europe to earn EarthCheck certification. It was also the first municipality in Iceland to start sorting waste, and the first town in the country to receive the prestigious Blue Flag eco-label.
How to get to Stykkisholmur
You can reach Stykkisholmur by Road 58, which branches off north from Road 54 on the Snaefellsnes peninsula, about 30 km (20 miles) east of Grundarfjordur. On the way from Grundarfjordur, Road 54 runs past the Berserkjahraun lava field. From the south coast of the peninsula, the quickest route is Road 56 (Vatnaleið) over the mountains – it joins Road 54 about 7 km (4 miles) before the turnoff to Stykkisholmur.
You can also get here from Reykjavik by public bus – Strætó line 57, with a change in Borgarnes to line 58, which ends at the ferry harbor. The whole trip takes about 3 hours. Direct buses run during the summer season.
